U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP - A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION
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U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION
June 2018
Table of Contents
1 Message from the Produce Safety Partnership Leadership
2 Safe Produce: A Cross-border Commitment
2 The Partnership
4 Food Safety Modernization in the U.S. and Mexico
5 Impact: Coordinating and Leveraging Produce Safety
Systems to Support Public Health
8 Partnership Activities
9 What’s Ahead for the PSP?
10 Contact Information for the Produce Safety Partnership
11 Appendix A: PSP Governance Structure
12 Appendix B: PSP Work Groups
Message from the Produce Safety
Partnership Leadership
We are pleased to present the U.S. FDA-Mexico Produce Safety Partnership: A Dynamic
Partnership in Action progress report.
The Produce Safety Partnership (PSP) is a groundbreaking collaboration to address
the evolving nature of the production and distribution practices facing our respective
countries. This report highlights how Mexico and the U.S. are working together to
ensure the safety of fresh and minimally processed produce.
Recognizing the importance of safe produce to public health and the economy,
Mexico has established a framework for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). This
framework is based on preventive standards, verification, and certification
programs for fresh produce and covers the full supply chain from growing through
distribution. Mexico has charged its Federal Departments of Agriculture – National
Service for Agroalimentary Public Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) – and
Health – Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) –
to work collaboratively to implement its GAP framework and, thus, foster enhanced
produce safety.
The U.S. is also strengthening regulatory approaches to food safety. The FDA
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011 empowers the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) to better protect public health by implementing
requirements that help to ensure the safety and security of the food supply. FSMA
embraces preventive controls and strong verification processes as the foundation
of a modern food safety system.
We have been working collaboratively on institutionalizing approaches that reinforce
preventive practices and rapid response to potential outbreaks. As explained in this
report, we have worked together to contain potentially serious outbreaks related to
produce and lessen consumer exposure to foodborne disease.
As we move forward, this partnership allows us more flexibility and opportunity to
learn about each other’s food safety systems and leverage new information to find
innovative methods to ensure the safety of produce. We recognize the importance
of establishing strong relationships and mutual support among all stakeholders,
including industry, government, academia, and consumers working together to
ensure food safety.
Dr. Enrique Sánchez Cruz Stephen Ostroff, M.D. Lic. Julio Sánchez y Tépoz
Director in Chief Deputy Commissioner of Federal Commissioner
SENASICA Foods and Veterinary Medicine COFEPRIS
U.S. FDA
U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 1
Safe Produce: A Cross-border Commitment
The PSP is a bilateral partnership that grapes, onions, strawberries, potatoes,
focuses on ensuring the safety of produce and peaches to Mexico.
traded across our respective borders.
Trade in produce between the U.S. and In 2017, Mexico exported over $11 billion
Mexico is vast. Mexico is a major exporter worth of fresh produce to the U.S, and
of food products to the U.S., providing the U.S. exported over $660 million worth
U.S. consumers with fresh produce to Mexico. Figures 1 and 2 identify each
year-round. Mexico supplies a significant country’s top ten fresh produce exports
percent of the tomatoes, avocados, in 2017, by value, and illustrate the
chilies, berries, cucumbers, lemons, and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that
limes enjoyed in the U.S. The U.S. exports cross our borders.
a significant amount of apples, pears,
Figure 1: Mexico Exports of Fresh Figure 2: U.S. Exports of Fresh
Produce to U.S. (by value), 2017 Produce to Mexico (by value), 2017
Avocados 1% 6% Apples
18% 1% Grapes
Tomatoes 4% 2%
Raspberries & Pears
31% 6%
Blackberries Onions &
Peppers Shallots
6% 42% Strawberries
Strawberries
14% Grapes Potatoes
Cucumbers 7% Peaches
3% Lemons & Melons &
3% 8% Limes Papayas
3% Asparagus 11% Kiwifruit
4% 7% Squash Oranges
4% 5% 14%
All Others All Others
Interactive Tariff and Trade DataWeb. (2018, March 23). Retrieved from https://dataweb.usitc.gov/,
U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. International Trade Commission.
The Partnership
Foodborne illness outbreaks associated
with contaminated produce over the “Produce is an essential component
last decade have caused a widespread of a healthy diet, so assuring the
recognition that we need a new, modern safety of fruits and vegetables
food safety system that focuses on is a key component of helping
preventing food safety problems, as well consumers achieve healthy diets.”
as reacting to them. Due to the strong
commitment that Mexico and the U.S. Susan Mayne, Ph.D.
share to assure the safety of produce, Director, Center for Food Safety
U.S. FDA, COFEPRIS, and SENASICA and Applied Nutrition, U.S. FDA
signed the PSP Statement of Intent on
July 24, 2014.
2 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION
The overall goal of the PSP is to
work in collaboration to implement “We’ve been delighted to share
preventive practices and verification our extensive outreach and
measures that will support high rates education materials on worker
of compliance with produce safety health and hygiene with our
standards, guidelines and best practices colleagues from the U.S. FDA.
and therefore reduce risk of illness or The PSP has provided a framework
death associated with the consumption of for sharing creative ideas.”
fresh and minimally processed produce.
The emphasis of the partnership is Silvia Rojas
to have a governance structure that Director of Agri-Food Safety
focuses on joint activities to facilitate an Organic Operation and Pesticides
understanding of each other’s produce for Agricultural Use, SENASICA
industry oversight systems, coordinated
risk communication, and data sharing for
fresh and minimally processed produce.
Table 1: Missions of the PSP Organizations: COFEPRIS, SENASICA, and U.S. FDA
COFEPRIS COFEPRIS is responsible for protecting the population from health risks caused by
the use or consumption of goods and services, health products, and the exposure
to environmental or occupational factors.
COFEPRIS is also responsible for protecting the population from health risks that
result from the occurrence of sanitary emergencies and the provision of health
services, through regulation, control, and prevention of sanitary risks.
SENASICA SENASICA’s mission is to regulate, manage, and promote the activities of health,
food safety, and food quality by reducing the risks inherent in agriculture, livestock,
aquaculture, and fisheries in benefit of producers, consumers, and industry.
SENASICA is responsible for protecting plants and animals from pests and
illnesses of economic and quarantine importance. In addition, SENASICA regulates
and promotes the execution and certification of the voluntary System for Risk
Reduction from Contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables, for facilitating the
local and international trade.
U.S. FDA The U.S. FDA protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness,
quality, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological
products, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and
security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and products
that emit radiation. The U.S. FDA also regulates tobacco products to protect public
health and reduce use by minors.
The U.S. FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), in
conjunction with the Agency’s field staff in the Office of Regulatory Affairs, is
responsible for promoting and protecting the public’s health by ensuring that
the nation’s food supply is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled,
and that cosmetic products are safe and properly labeled.
U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 3
Food Safety Modernization in the U.S. and Mexico
The U.S. and Mexico food safety systems
are continuously evolving to better “U.S. FDA’s collaboration
protect public health by helping to ensure with Mexico is a key in the
the safety and security of food supply. implementation of FSMA and
The collaboration of the PSP, although our office in Mexico City has
not mandated by any legislation, builds been a linchpin for FSMA
upon the cross-border commitment to and PSP implementation.”
produce safety that the US and Mexico
share. Mary Lou Valdez
Associate Commissioner
For example, FSMA aims to ensure for International Programs
the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting Office of Global Regulatory
the focus from response to preventing Operations and Policy, U.S. FDA
contamination and foodborne illness.
In enacting FSMA, the U.S. Congress
recognized the need to focus on food
safety at a global scale to address the Mexico has established a set of laws,
wide range of commodities the U.S. regulations, and programs, such as the
imports from more than 200 countries voluntary System for Risk Reduction from
and territories and to assure food is Contamination (SRRC), to reduce the risk
safe regardless of its source. It also of physical, chemical, and microbiological
recognized that the U.S. FDA cannot contamination in the primary production
succeed on its own, but must work of fruits and vegetables.
collaboratively with a wide range of
food system partners – both public and Mexico has also developed strategies
private all over the world – to achieve to strengthen its National Food Control
established food safety goals. System through the enforcement of
provisions for Good Manufacturing
In November 2015 FDA issued the FSMA Practices, which are mandatory for all
Produce Safety Rule, which establishes fruit and vegetable growers and packing
science-based minimum standards for houses, as applicable. Mexico is also
the safe growing, harvesting, packing, moving toward higher standards through
and holding of fruits and vegetables that the promotion of Hazard Analysis and
are domestically produced or imported Critical Control Point-based certification
for consumption in the U.S. systems.
“COFEPRIS, as the sanitary authority responsible for the sanitary control and
surveillance of food, has the scheme for certification of good manufacturing
practices in food processing establishments, which has allowed more than 200
certified companies to export safe products, generating confidence for authorities
and consumers in the countries of destination.”
Alvaro Pérez Vega
Commissioner of Sanitary Operation and Enforcement, COFEPRIS
4 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTIONImpact: Coordinating and Leveraging Produce Safety Systems to Support Public Health The PSP is using communications and enforcement tools to enhance knowledge “The examples in this report transfer and establish common demonstrate the significant processes and procedures between progress that can be achieved the U.S. and Mexico. This collaboration when public health authorities work is helping to reduce the impact of together to implement preventive foodborne illnesses by reinforcing practices and verification measures preventive practices before an outbreak to support high rates of compliance. occurs and allowing both countries to Consumers on both sides of the respond more rapidly in the event of a border are better protected with potential or actual outbreak. access to safe fresh produce.” The following are examples of how Erik Mettler Mexico and the U.S. have coordinated and Assistant Commissioner for leveraged information to make progress Partnerships and Policy Office towards PSP goals. of Regulatory Affairs, U.S. FDA Decline Reported in Cyclospora Outbreaks in 2016 The number of U.S. domestically acquired Cyclospora infections reported in 2016 declined when compared to the three previous years. A variety of activities were conducted by the U.S. FDA and Mexican food safety authorities in response to epidemiologic and traceback information linking Cyclospora cayetanensis (C. cayetanensis) foodborne illnesses to fresh cilantro grown in Puebla, Mexico. From 2013 to 2015, the U.S. FDA and Mexican food safety authorities SENASICA and COFEPRIS performed inspections and environmental assessments at multiple farms and packing houses in the state of Puebla, Mexico, where they found conditions and practices that could cause the contamination of cilantro. U.S. FDA consulted with Mexican food safety authorities in 2015 to implement an annual import alert (Import Alert #24-23) for fresh cilantro from Puebla during the growing season of April 1 through August 31. This import alert allows border officials to detain and refuse admission of cilantro grown in Puebla into the U.S. without physical examination. Only cilantro producers in the state of Puebla who comply with 11 minimum requirements on good agricultural and food safety practices as part of Mexico’s SRRC are placed on a “Green List” and not detained under the import alert. The PSP facilitated the regulatory coordination between the U.S. and Mexico in 2015 prior to the implementation of the import alert. It was agreed that the U.S. FDA would review SENASICA and COFEPRIS certification packages for a farm (supplier) and for the corresponding packing house being supplied by a SENASICA certified farm prior to a firm being added to the Green List. The first full season that U.S. FDA’s import alert for fresh cilantro from Puebla, Mexico was in effect was 2016. As of September 16, 2016, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported at least 134 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in persons who became infected in the U.S. and reported illness onset on or after May 1, 2016. This was a 58-percent U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 5
(58%) reduction compared to the same period in 2015, which had 319 confirmed cases. It is worth
noting that the CDC reported an increase in the number of laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis
cases in 2017, but additional data are needed to determine if the increase is due to more
frequent testing or to an actual increase in infections.
Prior to the existence of the PSP, this level of joint action was not routine between the countries.
This experience also led FDA to implement a testing program for cilantro from Puebla, Mexico
and to conduct industry outreach on C. cayetanensis control and prevention in partnership with
the CDC.
“In just a few short years, we have seen the U.S. FDA-Mexico Produce Safety
Partnership grow from concept to reality. We are seeing cooperation on a variety of
fronts, from lab procedures to data collection and sharing. As the United States and
Mexico have become such strong partners in the food chain, this evolution has been
welcomed and we think in the coming years it will yield even greater benefits to
consumers, regulators, and industry alike.”
Lance Jungmeyer
President, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
6 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTIONInformation Shared During an Outbreak of U.S. Kiwi and Apples
During an outbreak in 2015 for U.S. kiwi and apples, the exchange of information under the
PSP led to activities that further prevented contaminated product from entering Mexico.
In August 2015, COFEPRIS informed the U.S. FDA Latin America Office (LAO) in Mexico City
about U.S. fresh produce sampled by SENASICA found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
A week later, COFEPRIS shared the analytical worksheets of the laboratory findings with LAO.
The PSP Laboratory Collaboration work group assisted the U.S. FDA/CFSAN’s Office of
Regulatory Science and Office of Food Safety in working with the U.S. FDA LAO in Mexico City
to submit a request for the L. monocytogenes isolates to be shipped from SENASICA’s laboratory
to U.S. FDA. The isolates were from U.S. kiwi and apple samples collected at the border of
Mexico. CFSAN performed Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis and Whole Genome Sequence
analyses on the isolates from SENASICA. Once performed, the U.S. FDA LAO shared the results
with PSP Mexican food safety authorities COFEPRIS and SENASICA.
Prior to the existence of the PSP, the ability to share information fluidly between the U.S.
and Mexican food safety authorities was not easily done. Due to joint action between the
organizations, the ability to conduct an exercise for a Listeria isolate transfer allowed the food
safety authorities to exchange information and enhance collaboration on laboratory activities,
to improve detection and understanding of contamination. This exercise is establishing a
two-way protocol for the exchange of strains between Mexico and the U.S.
“SENASICA operates the Good
Agricultural Practices program
called the SRRC, which is
implemented in farms and
packinghouses of fresh fruits and
vegetables. In addition, the scheme
ensures that products certified
under the Mexican government
program comply with national
and international regulations in
food safety by reducing physical,
chemical, and microbiological
contamination. At present,
more than 10,000 companies and
producers are certified in our
scheme, producing more than
80 species of fresh fruits and
vegetables in optimal food safety
conditions and ready to eat.”
Hugo Fragoso Sánchez
General Director for Food Safety,
Aquaculture, and Fisheries,
SENASICA
U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 7Collaborating to Increase Prevention
Collaboration using mechanisms developed under the PSP led to activities to prevent further
contamination in papaya from Mexico.
In the fall of 2017, the U.S. FDA and Mexican food safety authorities, SENASICA and COFEPRIS,
used mechanisms established by the PSP in their response to four outbreaks of human
infections with Salmonella epidemiologically and analytically linked to papaya originating from
Mexico. U.S. FDA used the Binational Outbreak Notification Protocol established under the PSP
to notify SENASICA and COFEPRIS of the outbreaks.
The Mexican agencies conducted inspections and sampling at various farms and packing
houses in several Mexican states, with U.S. FDA joining one. They shared results with U.S.
FDA showing several samples matching outbreak strains. Additionally, the Mexican authorities
observed conditions and practices that could lead to the contamination of papaya. U.S. FDA
used these findings, along with its outbreak investigation, to place four farms on Import Alert
99-35, “Detention Without Physical Examination of Fresh Produce That Appears to Have Been
Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions” and SENASICA likewise implemented
a regulatory response.
Additionally, U.S. FDA isolated Salmonella in papaya, not matching the outbreak strains, during
examination of several entries and placed several Mexican firms on an existing country-
wide import alert for papaya, Import Alert 21-17, “Countrywide Detention Without Physical
Examination of Papaya From Mexico.” This alert was put in place in 2011 in response to multiple
contamination events including a large outbreak of salmonellosis in which papaya from Mexico
was implicated as the vehicle. While outbreaks from consumption of papaya were not identified
in 2012-2016, the 2017 outbreaks demonstrate that there are continued challenges in preventing
Salmonella contamination of papaya.
To further prevention efforts and in response to the papaya outbreaks, SENASICA implemented
a program in October 2017, to strengthen the safety of papaya by incorporating minimum
food safety requirements through adherence to the SRRC when issuing the International
Phytosanitary Certificate, (Certificado Fitosanitario Internacional, CFI), to companies exporting
papaya to the U.S. SENASICA implemented its program to minimize the potential for
contamination of papayas with Salmonella in the Mexican papaya industry. Beginning in
January 2018, papaya produced by, or exported to the U.S. from, large farms must meet the
science-based minimum standards of FDA’s Produce Safety Rule.
Partnership Activities
Initially the PSP focused on learning about our respective organizations and deepening
the understanding of how our respective food safety systems functioned. Mexico
and the U.S. have cooperated on joint inspections and responses to produce-related
outbreaks, such as joint traceback investigations and environmental assessments,
in addition to enhancing laboratory capacity. Mexican officials from both COFEPRIS
and SENASICA routinely accompany U.S. FDA during surveillance inspections at
Mexican food firms, including produce firms. Likewise, U.S. FDA accompanies
COFEPRIS and SENASICA during inspections of U.S. produce farms and facilities
that export to Mexico.
In addition, the PSP conducted the following activities:
8 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION• Established a written protocol through a confidentiality agreement to exchange
information within the PSP
• Exchanged information on outbreak response, which contributed to the
development of a Binational Outbreak Communication Protocol to establish the
basis of communication and information exchange between Mexico and the U.S.,
to respond to outbreaks caused by the consumption of contaminated fresh and
minimally processed produce
• Established an information-sharing platform through FoodSHIELD - a web-based
system at the University of Minnesota for communication, coordination, education,
and training among the U.S.’s food and agriculture sectors - to act as a repository
for uploading and reviewing information
• Shared information on laboratory validation methods used by all three agencies
• Shared microbial strain isolates and information on laboratory methodologies to
isolate and identify the main foodborne pathogens in produce
• Observed respective inspectional approaches and shared information on training
methods for auditors for SENASICA and inspectors for COFEPRIS and U.S. FDA
• Developed a catalogue of web accessible educational materials and an internal
glossary for operational and regulatory food safety technical terms for consistency
purposes
• Shared information on capacity building and education and outreach materials
• Assisted Mexico with PulseNet certification to implement Pulsed-field Gel
Electrophoresis for Salmonella
• Held periodic conference calls and in-person meetings in Mexico (September 2014
and September 2016) and the U.S. (April 2017)
What’s Ahead for the PSP?
The PSP consists of more than 50 dedicated individuals. Appendix B contains
information on the PSP workgroups. Our collective body of work represents an
opportunity for further engagement to continue improving the safety of fresh
and minimally processed produce.
Over the next five years, the PSP will
“There has been extraordinary explore the following:
cooperation on laboratory methods
and procedures over the last • Increasing engagement with key
few years. Mexico and the U.S. partners in industry, academia,
have taken giant steps forward in and government to further advance
bringing our laboratories closer.” opportunities for the PSP
• Exchanging of information and
Mario Alanís Garza knowledge, regarding Whole Genome
General Director of International Sequencing methods, practices, and
Affairs, COFEPRIS collaborative activities
U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 9• Identifying common approaches for auditors and inspectors to improve various
tools and procedures for effective compliance and better execute compliance and
enforcement activities
• Creating a strategy to conduct joint inspections and a joint pilot on micro-sampling
to improve surveillance, detection, and understanding of contamination and to
improve decision making for response actions
• Continuing to advance the Binational Communications Outbreak Protocol by
evaluating its effectiveness and including specific time frames to enhance
its execution
• Enhancing FoodSHIELD features for PSP purposes
• Incorporating other matters of interest, such as food alerts and recalls
The PSP will continue to leverage information and embrace opportunities that arise
to implement preventive practices and verification measures to support high rates
of compliance with produce safety standards, guidelines, and best practices.
Contact Information for the
Produce Safety Partnership
To contact COFEPRIS, please send an email to the Executive Directorate
of International Operations at deoi@cofepris.gob.mx.
To contact SENASICA, please send an email to
alianzainocuidad.dgiaap@senasica.gob.mx.
To contact the U.S. FDA, please send an email to the International Affairs Staff
in CFSAN at IAS-ACTION@fda.hhs.gov.
10 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTIONAppendix A
PSP Governance Structure
Executive Council
Advisory Team Steering Committee
Project Managers Chairpersons
Work Group 1 Work Group 2 Work Group 3 Work Group 4 Work Group 5
Produce Safety Education and Training of Auditors Laboratory Outbreak
System Information Outreach & Inspectors Collaboration Response
Sharing
USFDA, SENASICA and COFEPRIS
representation
Executive Consists of senior-level individuals who provide guidance to the PSP
Council Steering Committee when necessary. The Executive Council provides
direction or resolution to the PSP Steering Committee when a consensus
cannot be reached.
PSP Steering Consists of director-level individuals who meet periodically to provide
Committee direction, address issues, review information, and provide final approval
for the work of the PSP. This includes reviewing proposals and designating
individuals to work on the PSP and its activities. The Steering Committee
meets on a quarterly or as-needed basis by phone and face-to-face.
Chairpersons Oversee execution of the direction and decisions made by the PSP Steering
Committee and Executive Council. They are responsible for disseminating
updates and monitoring the progress of the Work Groups. Chairpersons
provide regular updates to the PSP Steering Committee or the Work Groups
on significant issues that may impact the PSP’s mission or scope. They are
also responsible for reviewing information and proposals prior to being
delivered to the PSP Steering Committee for approval.
Work Groups The collaboration of the PSP is carried out by specific technical work groups
devoted to key areas relating to produce safety. Five work groups conduct
activities to develop knowledge of and mutual confidence in the approaches
used by the U.S. and Mexican produce safety control systems.
U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 11Appendix B
PSP Work Groups
Work Group Charge Expected Outcomes Voice of the
Work Groups
1. Information Focused on how best to • Better prevention “Working together
Sharing exchange information of produce safety to understand each
between organizations problems in the other’s regulatory
about produce safety produce supply activities and
systems to increase chain challenges can
understanding and • Increased only strengthen our
knowledge, recognize compliance relationship.”
and better target with regulatory
high-risk situations standards “Sharing information
involving produce, • Increased mutual can help identify needs
and better execute confidence in the for more targeted
compliance and way Mexico and approaches and
enforcement activities. the U.S. approach increased regulatory
produce safety cooperation.”
2. Education and Dedicated to the • Increased access “A common
Outreach development of to and knowledge understanding of the
effective, culturally of information terminology used by
specific education related to each agency has been
and outreach materials improved practices reinforced.”
that support industry for industry
compliance with • Better prevention “Through PSP, we can
standards for the of produce safety build upon our alliance
safety of fresh and problems in the to decrease risks and
minimally processed produce supply ensure a safer food
produce. chain supply.”
3. Training of Focused on sharing • Improved tools “PSP gives us an
Auditors and information to identify and procedures opportunity to learn
Inspectors common approaches for effective more about each
for training auditors compliance other’s policy-making
and inspectors who • Better execution activities for audits
will verify compliance of compliance and inspections.”
with standards for the and enforcement
safety of fresh and activities
minimally processed
produce.
12 U.S. FDA-MEXICO PRODUCE SAFETY PARTNERSHIP A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP IN ACTIONWork Group Charge Expected Outcomes Voice of the
Work Groups
4. Laboratory Focused on enhancing • Improved “We have discovered
Collaboration the collaboration of surveillance, that we share a
ongoing laboratory detection, and common theme in the
activities. understanding of importance of science-
contamination based preventive
• Improved decision standards.”
making for
response actions “Through PSP, we
• More effective and have an opportunity
efficient response to share information
efforts for known on scientific methods
hazards such as Whole
Genome Sequencing
and participate in
joint laboratory
projects that augment
our cross-border
commitment to ensure
the safety of produce.”
5. Outbreak Dedicated to enhancing • Improved “PSP is an example
Response collaboration during surveillance of a true partnership
outbreak response and and detection of between countries and
traceback activities, as contamination has opened doors for
well as epidemiology • Improved more communications,
and product tracing for epidemiology and especially during
Mexico and the U.S. product tracing critical times in food
for Mexico and safety.”
the U.S.
• Improved decision “Our work together
making for on Whole Genome
response actions Sequencing is an
and more efficient example of how we
and effective have to work and
responses to communicate together
known hazards to ensure there is
understanding across
the board.”
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